Plans for rebuilding Kyle Field are on target, president
R. Bowen Loftin said, to be presented to the Board of Regents in May. If
approved, prep work to begin the estimated $400 million redo of the cradle of
Aggieland could begin almost immediately.

And to think, during the spring season less than a year
ago, Manziel may have been called “Johnny Football” by some Aggie fans. But he
was more widely known as … the backup quarterback.

Now No. 2 jerseys and hats and Heisman T-shirts reading
“No Heisman without the MAN” line A&M bookstores. And the idea of A&M
contending for a national title this fall, following last season’s 11-2
breakout, is not just for maroon worshipers.

“I’ve known for a long time, since 2010, that the
conference change we effected was the right thing for Texas A&M,” Loftin
said. “I was very confident when we hired Coach Sumlin that we were hiring the
right coach. What nobody could predict was this particular young man and his
unique talents. That’s one of those outliers.”

Ever since Manziel’s emergence, he and A&M have been
thrust into a new world. Manziel is taking all online classes this semester to
get a break from the fuss. His company, JMAN2 Enterprises, has filed two
lawsuits to protect his nickname, which is being trademarked. That leads to a
bigger discussion involving the NCAA and student-athletes’ rights to profit.

The reach and fascination of all things Manziel — two
months after A&M’s 41-13 Cotton Bowl destruction of Oklahoma — is nowhere near zenith.

Meanwhile, he, for the most part, appears to continue
doing things his way — active socially on Twitter and off the field,
ridiculously slippery on it.

“He’s a Heisman [winner], but he is a college student,”
athletic director Eric Hyman said. “There are parameters that he needs to
understand, but he’s got to be who he is. We can’t cookie-cutter him. We have
to allow him the freedom to enjoy college life.”

Cue the comebacks: “online college life?”

Manziel has been criticized in some ranks for talking all
online sports management courses this semester. A&M offers more than 10,000
class sections online, Loftin said, and has long strived to offer flexibility
to students, not just athletes. Loftin said Manziel also has access to academic
support for athletes, which Manziel has said he uses.

Protecting the star

Hyman said he didn’t know the specifics of the hubbub that
occurred when Manziel did try to attend an on-campus English class; Manziel has
described it as “more of a big deal than I thought.” But Hyman said A&M has
had to provide Manziel with security at times, including when the football team
was honored at an A&M basketball game in January.

“I don’t think people can fathom the responsibility that
he has and the expectations people have for him,” Hyman said. “It’s literally
off the charts. Everybody wants a piece of him.”

For what it’s worth, CBSSports.com reported, via an
unnamed source, that Manziel would return to on-campus courses this fall.

A&M running back Ben Malena said Manziel, who wasn’t
made available for interviews this week, remains the same as a leader and
teammate. But elsewhere, “we can’t speak on that, because we’re not Johnny
Manziel,” Malena said.

Hyman called a meeting in February with Manziel, his
parents, Sumlin, compliance and other A&M staff to ensure that Manziel was
getting the support he needs and so “the right hand knows what the left is
doing,” Hyman said.

Protecting Manziel’s time is one thing.

Protecting “Johnny Football” is another.

The business side involving Manziel is a complex web of
protecting Manziel’s NCAA eligibility, A&M’s trademarks and Manziel’s
trademark of his nickname.

A&M has a license with Manziel’s organization to use
“Johnny Football,” royalty free and within NCAA rules.

“Name another school that has a licensing agreement with
one of their athletes,” said Shane Hinckley, A&M assistant vice president
for business development. (When A&M gave away “Johnny Football” T-shirts as
a promotion, “it was like giving out gold,” Hyman said of the demand.)

A&M works to protect its brand and Manziel’s
eligibility by identifying third parties that are illegally profiting off
Manziel’s image and likeness. Some 900 items — figurines, mugs, iPhone covers,
mouse pads — have been removed from eBay.

Protecting the brand

But it’s Manziel’s company and lawyers who protect his
claim to “Johnny Football.” JMAN2 reportedly recently filed suit against a man
selling T-shirts that read “Keep Calm and Johnny Football.”

“In trademark law, if you don’t proceed, you lose your
trademark,” Hinckley said “Obviously Johnny
has some marketability that he wants to protect for the future, which he should
be able to.”

The suit is separate from A&M — though A&M is in
close contact with Manziel’s company because where Manziel’s trademark is
involved, often so is A&M’s.

The NCAA told A&M in late 2012 that athletes can keep
winnings from lawsuits; A&M had to ask because it was a groundbreaking
situation. It’s now something experts are watching to see if it impacts amateur
issues and the NCAA on a bigger scale.

In January, A&M released a study that shows Manziel’s
Heisman win translated to $37 million in media exposure alone for A&M, and
that doesn’t include merchandise sales or increases in ticket requests or
donations.

One small example: Adidas, A&M’s apparel partner, is
interested in producing Heisman items (which cannot feature Manziel’s name or
number) for the rest of the year because it’s still a hot commodity.

Football, in all this, has not been forgotten. Manziel
will take plenty of reps this spring. He has studied the cut-ups of the 2012
season. Sumlin said there is plenty for Manziel to work on — mechanics,
footwork, mental approach. Manziel will need to mesh with new offensive
coordinators in Clarence McKinney and Jake Spavital.

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